With the explosive growth in the spread of Norovirus and other food safety pathogens, the role of the team lead or manager in the food chain supply and logistics field has expanded to cover personnel hygiene. From the plant operations manager to the manager at the corner market or sandwich shop, keeping your team healthy by training them in hygienic practices not only protects your team from foodborne illness, but also protects the general public, too.
Known simply as "food poisoning," common food safety pathogens are a diverse and nasty bunch, and they sure do get around. They may be among the most underreported of all illnesses because most people chalk it up to a "stomach bug" or "just something I ate." Many people who have a foodborne illness may never seek medical attention at all and instead stay at home to be cared for by family members or self-treat with their grandmother's remedies. According to Iowa State University, the most common "food poisoning" pathogens are:
The symptoms of these illnesses often make them indistinguishable from one another, with nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, with or without fever, affecting most people who contract them. The infected person may only discover the root cause of their illness if the symptoms are severe enough to require a visit to the local emergency room. As you read through the above list, keep in mind that almost all can be prevented by two things: proper preparation of food and worker hygiene, including hand washing.
The team lead or manager should follow these employee hygiene steps to protect their team and the public.
The CDC estimates that one person in six will experience a foodborne illness this year, and that 128,000 will have an illness of such severity that hospitalization will be required. It is further estimated that around 3,000 people will die from the effects of a foodborne illness. Breaking the chain of contagion early can help protect your team at work and their families at home.